Shira's Cryin'
by PureSaberHeart
Summary: Abused by his father, Diego never got to see what a great life was. Every night was the same thing for him, and he eventually runs away from his family. With all hope gone, all he could do was hope for a better life. Fortunately, life had other priorities in store for him.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer:

I do not own Ice Age or the characters Diego and Shira

Title:

Shira's Cryin'

A/N:

**A lot of things have happened since my last update, and I'm surprised that I managed to get this whole next idea thought up this quickly. I had to deal with some plagiarism issues, and a lot of other good stuff. Some things I want to get out of the way right away:**

**This is not a sequel to StarFire**

**I will probably update this about once in a blue moon (not very often)**

**THIS STORY MAY NOT BE USED IN ANY WAY, SHAPE OR FORM.**

**Alright, hopefully this story has a good hook for a starter chapter, but we'll see.**

Inspiration:

_**Jenny's Cryin'**_** by **_**Dope**_

He knew that he heard something. It was something that made him more anxious to find than it was trying to find a meal when he was half starved to death.  
Something, anything that could take his mind off of how completely messed up his life was. Ever since that day it all happened. Ever since. He hasn't been the same.  
Sniffing at the ground numerous times again, he was sure he was getting closer. He was so determined, so anxious to find out what that sound was.  
'God, ever since it all happened, I just haven't been the same!' The golden furred cat thought to himself.  
'I'm just looking for something.' He says, lifting his head off the rather grassy ground below him, cutting out the trail that he's been following. He tried holding in his tears of pain, tightly closing his eyes to rid of them.  
'I'm looking for a change in life. But... Everyday just goes by, as if they had no purpose, and that's all that it's ever going to be.'  
Now he let his tears fall down his face. The only good part was the fact that it was raining. It hid the sadness in his eyes and on his face. For some strangest of reasons, he enjoyed the rain. It was depressing. The stormy clouds giving a dull gray color, and also giving every other feature of the land the same dull and gloomy color. It was as if everything around the saber tooth was crying. Crying with him. All the plants that brought life to the earth, and all the trees that reassured protection throughout the land. They all had rain drops dripping off of them, and so did he.  
'They're all crying with me.' He says, and couldn't help but let a small smirk come across his face.  
'Crying. For me.' He shook his head, ridding himself of his insane thoughts. Ever since that day, he just hasn't been the same. Ever since.  
He was only a cub when it happened, but in fact, it's been happening his whole life. He was abused as a cub. It made him scared. It made him shy. Yet, he was unwilling to do anything about it. His spirit was broken, and he made no effort to changing his life. But how was he to blame for his life? It was never his fault, or at least that's what he's been trying to tell himself.  
Seven years ago, when the golden saber was still a cub, his life was never what he expected, and if he couldn't do anything about it, then who'd thought it would happen?  
That night. The night that changed his life from suffering to just plain hell. He'd rather be dead, but he couldn't be. He couldn't show weakness to the world.  
A dark stormy night brewed upon the land, and like every night, the same old thing happened.  
"You pathetic excuse of a predator! You never do anything right, you useless piece of fur!"  
It was just one thing after another. Being yelled at constantly by his want-to-be "father", the golden cub never got a chance to see how the world really was, and how great his life could have been.  
He could remember it all so well. All the ear-piercing yelling, those death staring eyes, observing every little mistake he made even if it wasn't really anything. It was just one more excuse for his father to beat the living day-lights out of him. It all changed his view on the world, and the perspective of himself.  
Most nights would result in him getting no amount of sleep due to all the bruises, cuts, scars, and bite marks that were crawling all over his body. It wasn't just the outside that caused it. His memory of the previous events that caused those injuries were corrupting his mind. Time and time again he would often lose the ability to breath. Something that his father did to his wind pipe due to an overly pressured bite on his neck caused him to have these breathing problems. It did heal over time, but what did it matter?  
His scars will heal, but his pain will not.  
This kind of thing would happen almost every day for him. He became isolated from the world. He never talked to anyone, and he hardly talked at all. As he became older, he realized more and more that he shouldn't have to live this way. He deserved better. He deserved something else. He just didn't know what that something was.  
'I'm sick of all this sorrow, and all of this pain I have to put up with every night and ever day. Why can't I just fall in a hole and die?' He'd often think these thoughts to himself on a nightly basis.  
He felt his shoulders become more and more swollen as his father kept clawing at him, pushing him around the cave, and smashing his head against the wall. To the golden saber, no amount of clawing and biting can make him feel any worse. How could his father possibly put him in any more pain than he's already in?  
Soon, the defenseless saber could taste his own blood from his lips, and no sooner was he pissing up blood from his mouth. His vision was so unclear. He could feel himself getting shoved around, but he couldn't see it. He kept his eyes closed because of instincts.  
One after another, hits after hits were impacted upon him, he tried to fight back, but his fatigue got the better of him, and he really didn't see any point to trying. He was so low.  
"Why am I the one you hate?!" The gold furred cat yelled at his attacker.  
"You are a god damn mistake! You should never have been born! You were an accident you lazy, pathetic son of a bitch!" His fathers anger got the best of him. He was never the best at controlling it, and over the years, it only got worse and worse.  
Just hearing that phrase, "You son of a bitch!", pierced the sabers heart. He never knew his mother. She killed herself when he was just a baby. He never had any memories of her. His father would always say that it was his fault that she killed herself. How she did, he never knew, and he never wanted to.  
The biggest question that was enveloping his mind was; Why is life so bad? It doesn't have to be this way.  
Of course, the saber had no idea how other's lives were like. He just assumed that everyone and everything had the same damn life.  
Having these thoughts in him, he completely forgot what was going on to begin with. He finally recalls himself having the shit beaten out of him as his father continued to abuse him. It was that old. Eventually the golden saber got so use to his father beating him up every day that he could basically ignore the pain and screams that were being shot at him. Not that it helped much, but still.  
At last, he begins to notice that the punches that were being thrown at him were getting lighter and weaker.  
'God, I'm like a freaking punching bag to this guy'  
He sees his dad start to walk away, but still cussing under his breath.  
"What... Do you want... From me?" The now abused saber quietly said, just loud enough for his dad to hear.  
His dad turned back around, with his glaring eyes, and his burning red face. His sweat could be smelt from his "workout", and his claws were gripped in rage.  
"I want you gone. I hate you! I never wanted you! No one cares about you! You shouldn't even exist!"  
"How is this my..."  
"Why are you still here?!" his dad interrupts with rage building back up inside.  
"Because... There's no where else to go."  
"That's exactly the point. There's no where else you can go. So just go! Get the hell out of here, and find somewhere else to cry yourself to sleep , you wimpy cat!"  
No rage built up inside of the gold saber. It was over. It was done. It was better to do nothing than to do anything.  
"Your lousy mother would want the same thing."  
He didn't want to, but he just couldn't help but believe it. He had to. Maybe his father was right. That's what he's been forced to believe for his entire life. His father was always right. Who would want a waste of a life like him?  
'Misery! Misery! That's all I see out of my eyes! Does anyone else see it that way?!'  
That night, while his dad was asleep, he left. He never went back. He was done. He's been done for a very long time. So long, that it felt as if it never should have happened in the first place.  
'Why me?'  
**_'Why anything?! Why do you even exist?!'_** His mind told him. The saber became so insane over the years of anxiety, that he eventually started hearing voices inside of his head.  
'Why is the world like this?'  
**'Because you choose to make it like this.'**  
'Bullshit! I never decided to be born into this disaster that was waiting to happen!'  
He was starting to lose it even more so. It was at the break of dawn on the island as the sun began to rise. The saber never got any sleep that night wondering aimlessly for an unknown period of time, which was typical, as every night was basically the same thing.  
The saber had no idea how far he's traveled out in the middle of nowhere, and he honestly didn't care.  
'Anywhere better than back there in that hellbent shit hole.'  
**'Always thinking in your point of view, huh?'** His other mind spoke up.  
'What do you expect?'  
**'A lot more than what you're doing now, wondering and getting absolutely nowhere.'**  
'What can I say, I live life the best I can.'  
Thinking to himself always made him feel somewhat better than before.  
The sun became more and more noticeable, and the heavy rain slowly settled down. The wet grass below him soaked his paws like a sponge. Never has so much rain taken over the green land that was bestowed upon the gold saber. The skies beyond the oceans horizon was a mixture between orange and red, much like the color of the leaves in the fall season.  
It was only then and there that he started thinking about how far he's actually traveled. He hasn't eaten in about three days because of his severe depression.  
'Would it be better if I just starved to death?'  
For some reason, his other voice didn't answer back this time.  
Time passed on, having no potential or meaning to the saber as he walked forth through the trees that he knew so well and yet hated so much.  
'I need to get out of here. Far away from here. I can't be reminded of my past. I need to let to. I have to. I need to.'  
**'But what are you going to do? Do you ever think about the future?'** His voice chips in again.  
'I only think about the present.'  
**'The present. How's that going for ya?'**  
The saber lets out a growl of frustration as he knows how messed up his life is. Since day one he's been shoved in the wrong direction. Every day since he's been one step closer to complete insanity. His father always giving him the wrong idea of how life is, the constant teasing the other young sabers in his family would give him just to bring him even lower. The ironic thing is, all of those sabers don't exist anymore. They all died from a dreadful disease, and the golden saber could do nothing but watch in horror as one by one, another soul would departure from the world, leaving a bigger hole in the saber's heart each day. Bullies or not, they were his brothers. Not all of them were complete assholes. He remembered him. His only friend.

* * *

_'Why do you fight with them?'_  
_'With who?' The golden saber asked his little brother that night when the rest of the family was out hunting while the weakest members stayed and kept watch over the cave. It was the last night he'd ever see him. He was so young. So naive._  
_'Our brothers. Why do you have to? Why do they have to?' The cub said with tears in his eyes. It was a look of fear that appeared on his face._  
_'We don't have to, we just-'_  
_'Then why do it?' He interrupts._  
_'Listen Shulk, I don't choose to fight with them. They're the ones who start it. I try to resist, but they just want to test me and see how long I can withstand them.'_  
_'But we're a family. We shouldn't have to.'_  
_Hearing the cub say that word, family. It brought a warm feeling to the older sabers heart._  
_'Diego?'_  
_'Yes?'_  
_'Why is life so bad?'_

* * *

That was the last sentence that came out of his mouth as their father and the rest of the brothers, all four of them came home. Diego never spoke around his father, so he didn't respond to Shulk's question.  
Little did he know that the next morning, Shulk would die from the disease. His only friend. His only chance to happiness in this world. It was never meant to be. Fate has conspired against him.  
As the saber continued through the forest, thinking about his little brother, he was about to break down of all sanity that was still hanging on to his mind, but he didn't.  
'I can't give up. But still...'  
A faint sound could be heard further into the forest.  
'Why is life so bad?'  
The sound came again, only more clear this time. It was from right behind some tall, dry grass.  
The saber looked over, and narrowed his gaze at something that he just couldn't believe.

A/N:

**There's the first chapter touch padded up from my ipod (That's always fun to do) Which is why the format organization is kinda weird. The program i use doesn't indent paragraphs. But still, I hope I can get a few more chapters out of the way over the summer.**

**Please R&R**


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer:

I do not own Ice Age or the characters Diego and Shira

Title:

Shira's Cryin'

Special Thanks:

Georgia Claw for the one review. (DiegoXShira is dying sadly, or maybe my writing just sucks) =P

"Stop it! Get off me!" Her voice yelled as Diego looked over the tall grass. At first, he didn't see anything, but soon, he caught a glimpse of something rustling further in the grass.  
"P-please." Her voice came again with a whimper heard after.  
'What the hell is going on?' Diego thought to himself. He approached closer, but decided to stop.  
**'Don't get too close! You have no idea what's going on!'**  
Just hearing the rather silent screams coming from the voice made Diego's spine crawl inside out.  
'Well, I don't like what ever is going on.'  
Diego decided to remain hidden. He didn't want to get in anymore messes than he already has to take of, after all.  
"Come on, baby. There's no one else around. What else are you gonna do?" A rather intimidating voice spoke up. It was a male's voice, higher than Diego's.  
'Ya, I definitely don't like this.' Diego thought as he lowered himself into the grass and began to crawl through, undetected. Grass stains started appearing on his paws and lower front legs. The grass was still wet due to the stormy rain from the night before. The land never got any sun for about a week, so rain came in constantly and basically flooded the whole forest up.  
As he continued to crawl, feeling the presence getting closer and closer, he started to debate whether or not he should find out what this is all about.  
**'It's none of your business! Just leave and go back to focusing on YOUR problems!'**  
Just thinking about that brought absolute anxiety rushing into his feelings. He was such a loser is what he believed.  
**'You just wonder off into other's problems.'**  
'What if she need help?'  
**'You don't even know who or what it is!'**  
Getting ever so close, he could feel that what ever was going on wasn't anything good. Not even close.  
'...It's a very pretty voice.' He couldn't help but admit.  
**'And so what's your point?' **His other voice asks.  
'My point is, I have to help her.'  
'**What if she doesn't need help? What if this whole thing is just a great, big misunderstanding?!'**  
'What have I got to lose?'  
It was here that Diego knew that he had won the argument against his own mind, crazy as that sounds.  
Slowly, he emerged out of the tall grass, trying to not get detected, and finally, he lays his eyes on something more horrific than what he was expecting.  
'No...why?...Just...why?'  
It wasn't right.  
Before him, two sabers, one male and one female, were having a private moment, at least the male was. Diego wasn't the one to be called an expert on this sort of thing, but it seemed to be that the female tigress was being forced to participate. The pain in her eyes were unbearable to the golden saber. He knew that sabers were suppose to act like this when mating season came into place, but what he was seeing was completely new to him.  
The female saber was on the bottom. She had silver coated fur with black outer linings on her back.  
'God, she's so beautiful.' Was all that Diego could think of. He was expecting for his voice to interrupt, but that didn't happen this time.  
Everything about her, Diego adored. Her pink nose, her structure, everything.  
'She doesn't deserve this!'  
"Please! Anyone! Help!" She said again with tears of pain strolling down her face. Eventually, she started groaning. Not from pleasure, but from loss of fatigue. She couldn't take it anymore, and neither could Diego who was still in the tall grass.  
'Here goes nothing.' Diego thought as he rose up from the grass, and was easily noticeable. For a few seconds, neither one of the sabers saw him.  
**'They don't see you! Get down before you blow it!'**  
Diego ignored his mind and remained where he was.  
'She doesn't deserve this.'  
Finally, the silver coated female saber looked up at him, giving him the most painful look in her eyes. Diego did nothing but look back at her. He looks up at the male saber who had strikingly similar looks to Diego. A bit skinnier, but very similar.  
The male saber still hasn't noticed Diego's presence as he was still busy reaching his climax.  
As Diego's "clone" was continually rising up and down, the silver saber had a look of pleading, as if she wanted Diego to make this nightmare stop.  
'This is going to be the stupidest thing I've ever done.'  
**'What?! No! Just leave and-'**  
"Hey!"  
**'Too late.'**  
The male saber looked up to see Diego standing right before him. He had an unrecognizable look in his eyes. He was in no way expecting another voice to chip into his private moment.  
"Get off of her." Diego said threateningly.  
The male saber didn't respond nor did he move a muscle.  
**'Now you've done it.'**  
"Now." He demandingly said again.  
Finally, the saber rises from his position. What Diego saw made him sick to the stomach. Blood. Everywhere.  
'What?! Why in the world?! That animal! That monster!' He though to himself with rage building up at peaks strength.  
Slowly, the saber came up to Diego, and gets right in his face.  
"Listen buddy, I'm not sure what kind of messed up pack you're in, but this is kind of a private moment sort of thing, you hear me?"  
**'There's no way out of this now.'** Diego's other voice speaks up,** 'So you mind as well finish up what you have started.'**  
Diego narrows his gaze behind the rather full-of-himself saber and sees the other saber gripping her legs in pain. It also came to Diego's attention that her neck was a crimson red color.  
"Well?!" Diego's mind is forced back to deal with the saber in front of him.  
"Are you deaf or something?" He says with a rather amused grin on his face.  
"Looks a lot more than just a private moment if you ask me."  
The saber lightly laughs at Diego's comment, "And how many female sabers have you hit on?"  
Diego doesn't answer. How the hell could he? With another female saber right there watching, he really can not answer. But the truth is, he never has had someone to love, and someone to be with every night.  
"That's what I thought." The saber said, nodding his head.  
Diego's rage was building ever so higher.  
"You know, this is a waste of time. Normally I'd kill anyone that dares interrupt me while I'm doing my thing.  
Diego starts gripping his claws together.  
**'Jeez, how immature is this guy?!'** Diego's other voice jumps in.  
"So, I'll give you a chance to leave, and never tell anyone about this. Is that clear, pussy cat?"  
'That did it.' With that, quick as the wind, Diego raises his claws and slashes right through his enemies left shoulder. He then proceeds by slamming his shoulders into him, and shoves him into the bark of a tree.  
**'KILL HIM! MAKE HIM PAY FOR ALL OF THIS!'** Diego's other voice yelled at him.  
Diego then grips his claws around the saber's neck and prevents oxygen from flowing through him.  
At this point, he was truly a killing machine. All of the years with his dad kept him filled with rage. Over the years, it just got worse and worse. However, he never released all of the hatred and sickness he had from the world. He hid that. He never wanted anyone to ever know about his life and how messed up it was.  
**'KILL HIM! JUST KILL HIM AND BE DONE WITH IT!'**  
Diego looks into his enemy's eyes. Only one look was seen. Diego could see sorrow in his eyes. As if he were pleading for him to stop.  
Diego, now just realizing that what he was doing was no better than what his enemy was doing to that silver furred saber.  
'So, we're all just monsters roaming about and killing one another?' Diego thinks to himself.  
**'Of course not!'** His mind tells him,** 'FOR GOD'S SAKE, JUST FINISH HIM ALREADY!'**  
'But it'll kill him! It's not the right thing to do.'  
Diego could see the saber's face turning pale. He was feeling faint.  
**'So what?! KILL HIM! RIP HIS DAMN THROAT OUT!'**  
'No!'  
**'Why not?!'**  
'It will kill her!'  
Silence. His voice suddenly stopped, and no sooner did Diego release his grasp in his victim, allowing him to collapse to the floor, and let the oxygen flow through him again.  
Diego could do nothing. He could do nothing but stand there and take in what just happened in those last few minutes.  
'What did I just do? Was that me? Was I yelling all of those threats in my mind.' Now Diego was sure that he had gone insane. He could do nothing but collapse to the floor and and cover his face with his front legs.  
He could here the deep breaths from his enemy, assuring him that he was still there.  
Diego had nothing else to do or think. He just laid there, and cried his head off. He didn't know why. He's been in worse situations than this with his dad, but for some reason, he still cried more than he has ever cried before. He was in complete loss.  
When things looked as if they couldn't get any worse, he felt another coat of fur brush up beside his. Slowly, Diego lifts his head from his current state, and turns his head to come face to face with her.  
'Oh my...wow...I've never...just... wow' Diego was speechless, or in this case, thoughtless. Looking into the eyes of the silver furred cat for the first time just completely blew his mind away.  
'She doesn't deserve this.' He continued to think as the sabers both kept looking into each other's eyes.  
"Are you alright?" She speaks at last.  
'Even her voice. She's too perfect. Do you think, maybe, just maybe, she's in a similar situation to what I'm in?'  
Diego couldn't say or do anything. He just kept looking into her eyes, and brought up a smile, thus causing her to smile too.  
"I think I should be asking you that." Diego said. He then notices that his prey was getting back up.  
Still feeling a bit lopsided, the partially beaten up saber amazingly was able to stand up on all fours.  
Diego, feeling his presence, let out a growl and got up to face his enemy once more, preventing him from getting to the silver furred saber.  
Diego was almost completely expecting for his other voice to start going berserk again, but it didn't. In fact, ever since it did go insane for the first time, it hasn't spoken since.  
"Leave her alone." He threatened.  
"Or what?" The saber said with a worried smile.  
"I'll do it again, only I'll finish it this time."  
There was no way out. Too much rage was built into Diego at that moment to reason with his decision, so he immediately jumps on the saber, thus beginning the fight.  
As Diego began slashing away at his enemy, he could feel bites from teeth like Daggers being imbedded into his flesh. It was deep, but not enough to be fatal.  
Enough pain went through Diego to make him stop slashing. His enemy got the upper hand and got on top of Diego and he could do nothing but yelp in pain.  
'It doesn't matter.' Diego kept telling himself. He didn't care how much pain was brought to him or how much it would take. All that mattered was that she was safe. Why he was doing this, he had no idea.  
"Come on, pussy cat! Fight me!" His attacker kept screaming at him as one by one, another bite injection, or claw slaughter would come in contact with him.  
He just couldn't do it. He couldn't find the strength to get himself on the ground and obtain the upper hand.  
'How'd I do it before?!' Diego wondered. He felt much weaker than when he first ended up in this dreadful situation.  
'I guess my father was right. I am a pathetic waste of fur.' Diego recalled earlier that same night.  
The golden saber began to hear a high pitched sound wave that faded out reality as well as his eyes starting to go black. He was going to pass out from blood loss. He could dimly hear her voice . It was screaming, almost as if it were pleading or begging for something. That's when he heard it.  
**'KILL HIM! KILL THE ENEMY! BURN HIM TO THE GROUND!'** His other voice yelled viciously.  
At that moment, Diego could feel himself coming back into reality with his enemy still on top of him.  
Still taking hits after hits, Diego finally comes to his senses and sees her. She was trying to help him. That's all he could tell. But she couldn't. She was still gripping her lower area in pain. The blood that was once embedded on her had died down and stopped flowing out.  
Looking back at his attacker who was having one hell of a time beating the daylights out of him, Diego raises his paw, covered in blood, and lunged it at his enemy's neck. He quickly embedded his claws into the sides of his neck and cut off the flow of oxygen.  
At this state, Diego was able to get off the ground and pounce on top of him, putting more pressure on his victim.  
In his eyes, Diego only had hatred staring down on the enemy as he gives a look of pleading. But it was too late. The golden saber had become a killing machine.  
"I warned you." Diego said as he quickly rotated his paws, causing his victims neck to snap. Dead.  
A look of satisfaction ran through Diego as he realized how well he was able to pull that off, but looking down at the now dead saber made him rethink his whole decision and his course of action.  
"No... What have I done?"  
He turns to the reason he did all of this in the first place, but all he saw were tears. Tears that were strolling down her face.

A/N:

**Please R&R =D**


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer:

I do not own Ice Age or the characters Diego and Shira.

Title:

Shira's Cryin'

A/N:

**The past few weeks haven't been my greatest. For starters I got mugged while walking home from work by some druggies. They took my mp3 player and my wallet. Thank god it only had 20 bucks in it and nothing else. It sucks living in a place where kids beat each other up for money to by drugs with. God bless you all. On top of that, I got fired from my job because I just didn't work fast enough. Oh well. That was my week, and I didn't get much time to write this. How was yours? =P**

**'Your scars will heal, but your pain will not.'** Diego's voice chips in as he stares down at the once alive and now dead saber. Just seeing the motionless saber before him brought back the gruesome images of his brothers when they died. It reminded him of Shulk, his youngest brother and his only friend. It suddenly brought a very meaningful memory back to him.

* * *

_"What's past the end of the ocean?" Shulk asked that morning at the brisk of dawn. A perfectly placed sun was emerging over the ocean gleaming the island for all it was worth. Diego was up rather early that morning and decided to take Shulk down to the beach. He had to sneak past his dad, or all hell would break lose. He couldn't risk another day with his limbs all soar._  
_'The younger ones are more active it seems.' Diego thought to himself as he sat there with Shulk up close to the tides as they reached their very best over the sands. Diego was still half asleep although it was his decision to go down to the beach in the first place._  
_Diego always knew that a day would come where his life takes a turn for the worst. He just never expected it to happen so quickly._  
_"I'm not really sure." Diego said, remembering what his brother asked him in the first place, "All of our brothers would always tell me that the further you see past the ocean, the further you'll get in life." He added, looking down at the perfectly smooth sand below him._  
_"You mean everyone sees the ocean in a different way?" Shulk asked out of curiosity._  
_Diego smirked at the fact that Shulk was so curious. It's what he liked about him. He was an easy saber to start a conversation with._  
_"According to everyone else, yes."_  
_"Is it just the ocean, or do we see everything in a different way?"_  
_Diego got a pained look on his face. What Shulk said reminded him of all the other sabers and how different he was compared to them._  
_"Shulk, I'll be honest with you. There's a lot of things in this world that we don't know about and may never come to understand, but the world is what it is and nothing is ever going to change that."_  
_Diego always thought of life as just a big game. It's no more important than anything else. He saw no point to trying in this messed up world he lives in. All hope was gone for him, and Shulk was his remaining reason to continue living._  
_But now he's dead, and nothing is ever going to change that._  
_'Why do we try so hard in life if we're just gonna end up dead anyways?'_  
_What was he suppose to do? What did the world expect from him? He knew that no matter what he did or how hard he tried, he'll just keep failing. That's what he was apparently born to do._

* * *

This all came up in his mind as he stood on top of the soon to be decaying corpse below him.  
'What the hell have I done?' He asked himself.  
**'You did exactly what was right in front of you.'**  
'I had to do something.'  
Slowly, Diego releases his still tight grip on the saber's neck and eased away from it. He tried blinking a couple of times, hoping that all of this was either a dream or just his imagination.  
Nope. It was all too real.  
'God damn it!' He yelled at himself, really wishing that he could have ended the fight a little differently.  
'How was I suppose to know that this would go down like this?!'  
**'You weren't suppose to know! Stop hating yourself for this!'**  
Diego turned his head back at her. She wasn't gripping her legs in pain anymore, but was instead looking at him with her eyes looking as if she pitied him. It was as if she knew how much regret was flowing through Diego's veins.  
'She has no idea what I've been through and what I've survived.'  
**'And she never would believe it either.'**  
Slowly, Diego raised his fist. He needed to take out all of the anger and self pity he had inside of him. His power was at peaks strength as he collided his fist with the corpse, and started to recklessly beat it to death as if it weren't already. Along with it, he started screaming at the dead saber, not giving a damn about anything... Again.  
**'Violence will get you nowhere.'**  
'Ya, tell that to the voice that was screaming its head off about ripping his throat out.' Diego argues with himself.  
**'It'll kill her.'**  
So suddenly, Diego's realization kicked in and no sooner did he let the punches and the screaming die down.  
Standing there and taking a couple of deep breathes, Diego just couldn't find any solution to any of this. He looked down at his paws which were now covered in blood that was not his own.  
'This can't be happening.'  
He continued to stare down at his paws, gradually allowing tears to form in his eyes.  
'Was it the right thing to do?'  
**'Violence is not the answer.'**  
He took in a deep breath, and tried forgetting about all of this. So much bullshit had entered his life that he just needed to let some of it fade away. He wanted for what just happened to be a mere memory of his past. But it will never be.  
'Murder. That's all that this was. Sure, what that saber was doing was ten times worse, but it's not like I'll get an award or anything for what I did. What I did was no different. It was still wrong.'  
She started crying. Diego hears this and turns his head around to see her with a terrible look on her face. It was if she was wanting to end her life right there and right now.  
**'Well, now what? Did you honestly think you would get this far? What were you planning to do after your little rescue mission?'**  
'I had no idea what I was up against!'  
**'God damn, it's like a merry-go-round! That's exactly what I said twenty pages ago.'**  
Diego shook his head in disbelief. He felt sorry for her. He was sorry he ever did what he did in the first place.  
**'Just get the hell out of here! Go now and it'll be like this never even happened!'**  
'I can't just leave her out here!'  
**'Just go!'**  
Diego was too tired to argue with himself. Quick as a flash, he bolted off. Where he was going he didn't know.  
'Great. That makes two things I'm running away from. All in one day! Just fantastic!'  
Diego kept running, not giving a damn about anything. The only thing that was going on inside his mind was about her.  
"Who is she? And why do I care about her so much?" He asked himself as he sprinted through the seemingly never ending forest.  
'She was just so...' He couldn't even find a word to describe her.  
'What the hell is gonna happen from here on... From... Here on...'  
Slowly, Diego could feel himself loosing fatigue. His vision was becoming black, and he was feeling light headed.  
"No! Not now!" He couldn't fight it. At first he had no idea why he was loosing consciousness in the first place, but smelling the smell of blood got him to realize why it was happening. When he was fighting, he got quite a few deep scratches in him. Some where close enough to be fatal. He was bleeding all over. He couldn't even tell that he had golden brown fur anymore. He was going to faint from blood lose.  
'She was just so...'  
He fainted.

* * *

_"Where mommy go?" Shulk asked a week after Diego found him._  
_"Uh, dad said that she went on vacation, but I could be wrong." Diego lied to his little brother. Shulk was just recently born into the world._  
_"I want to meet her."_  
_"Ya, me too." Diego didn't have the heart to tell him that he was adopted. Diego found Shulk one night while getting away from his family. Seeing the just born cub, how could he not watch after it? He knew his dad would be fine with it because he wouldn't even know. Diego always kept him hidden from his brothers and his dad. It was a difficult task to keep in play, but if it meant having a friend that you could share all of your worries with, then it was worth it._  
_"Can't I be with everyone else in cave? It's warm in there." Shulk asked him, getting shivers going down his spine. Diego showed Shulk the cave once when it was deserted for the day. Ever since, Shulk has been constantly asking about it._  
_"I promise, I'll find you one tomorrow. We'll stay in there." Diego had to build a temporary shelter out of anything he could find for the cub. He knew that Shulk didn't enjoy it and he wanted to make it up to him._  
_"But what about dad?"_  
_'Screw him. He's not my dad. He's no where close to a dad.' He thought to himself._  
_"It's fine. I need to get away from them for a while." He told him._  
_'More like forever.'_  
_"But why can't I be with everyone else?" He asked again, sounding more pleading than before._  
_Diego was having a hard time thinking of an excuse for Shulk's question, so he saw no point in hiding the truth._  
_"Shulk, your dad is... He isn't really..." Diego stumbled the words in his mouth. He looked back at Shulk and could tell that he had no idea what he was getting at._  
_"You weren't, uh, exactly the newest member of our family, alright? I was and I still am." He manages to say._  
_"But... Aren't we a family?"_  
_'To hell with that! It's just me against the world!' Diego thought to himself._  
_'That's all that it'll ever be.'_

* * *

This was the last thing before the flashback ended, bringing Diego awake and back into reality.  
With his eyes still getting use to the contrast level he was surrounded by, he blinked a few times and let his eyes wonder around in the cave.  
'What? A... Cave? Why am I- why am I in a cave?' He thought to himself. At first, Diego thought that he was back in his family's cave with his dad again, but he slowly began to remember all of the events that took place within that single day.  
'This is so weird. The last thing I can remember is when I was getting away from that mess that I got into.' He recalled as he remembered the stench of blood around him. Remembering this, he was expecting to still smell the blood that was caked into him, but he didn't. He looked at himself and all over his body. No blood.  
'Nothing. The cuts and scratches are still there, but... I've been cleaned off. Who did this? And why?' He thought out of complete confusion. A part of him believed that this was all a dream. It didn't make any sense at all.  
He began to notice that he was wet in some areas of his body.  
'What the hell is this?'  
Slowly, he begins to get up, still in pain from the fight. That's when he heard her. Diego looks to his side to see the same tigress. The one with black stripes and emerald earrings. He heard her breath as she continued to sleep.  
'What's she doing here? What am I doing here? Where am I?' He asked himself as he tried to piece the puzzle together.  
That's when it hit him. He looked back at his cuts and bite marks.  
'Was she...did she...' He started, finding it hard to believe.  
'Was she the one that cleaned me? She actually... But why? Did she feel as though it were the right thing to do? For what I did for her?' Wait...' He stopped, still finding all of this hard to believe.  
'Did I do the right thing? Back during that fight? I'd really hate to see it that way, but still...'  
He continued looking around his body until he noticed something. Down by his privates. A straight edged cut was dragged across him. He could also feel himself wet in that area as well.  
Diego wasn't the one to jump to conclusions, but it seemed like she even helped him in the lower areas as well.  
'Did she actually do that? Was she licking around there?! It's not that I'm immature or anything, but is that really what this is? I just don't feel comfortable around her. Why is that?'  
He jus couldn't take it anymore. The hatred that this world has given him. The anxiety that has been flowing through his messed up head since he was a cub. The constant voices he heard in his head.  
'Hang on, what the hell? Why isn't that voice chipping in?' Diego just realized that his other voice in his mind hasn't spoken since he woke up. Now why could that be?  
'It's probably better that way. I need some alone time for once in my life.' He thinks as he rests his head in his crossed arms as he starts to drift off into sleep. There was just one thing that was keeping him awake. She was crying. She was still sleeping and yet she was crying a the same time.  
'Thats odd.' He told himself. 'Maybe she's been in more agony than I thought. Who knows.' He put those thoughts aside as he slowly closed his eyes.  
Her crying was just so beautiful to him. It was if she was crying specifically for him.

A/N:

**Sorry about the above A/N. I just felt like I had to let that out. But it's alright, because life is messed up that way. Don't worry about me, I know what I'm doing. Please R&R, thanks. =D**


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer:

I do not own Ice Age or the characters Diego and Shira.

Title:

Shira's Cryin'

A/N:

**I don't have much to say, so enjoy.**

_"I promise, it's just a little farther." Diego told Shulk during that night when they decided to go search for a cave for Shulk. Diego wanted to make sure that it was far away enough to the point where his father nor his brothers could possibly find it. Still, no matter how far away he was, the fear of his heartless family finding him and finding out what he's been up to really got to him. Since the first day he found Shulk, Diego's family has been growing on his nerve, hassling him about where he has been all day._  
_'Why the hell would they give a damn about where I've been?'_  
_Again, it was just one more reason to make his life more hell than it already was._  
_"But we've been out here forever! It's too hot out, and I'm getting hungry!" Shulk complained, hanging his tongue out and panting. Diego knew, however, that he was faking it. He was just over reacting. That or he just wanted attention._  
_'He really reminds me of me when I was his age.' Diego recalls. It was as if Shulk was a younger version of him. He had the same colored eyes, same fur color, and his ears were strikingly similar. He couldn't help but bring a smile to his face._  
_"I'll find you something once we get there, I promise."_  
_It was only there when Diego felt a drop of water hit is left ear, causing him to shudder due to the sudden feel of the rain. One after another, rain drops appeared more and more until it felt as if Diego just got out of the ocean after a swim. That again, is one more reason for his family to pick on him for. They saw him as a completely different species for what he could do._  
_'They're just jealous. If the whole island were to flood the next day, I'd be the only one still breathing, and I'll watch as they slowly die by drowning.' Diego never liked to think of things that way, but sometimes there's just no other option._  
_As Diego and Shulk continued walking, Shulk eventually couldn't take any more of the ice cold rain. He leaned into Diego to keep the rain that was pouring on him to a minimum._  
_'Its amazing how much he trusts me when we've known each other for just a few days.' Diego thought. He always daydreamed about getting away from his family and start his own life with a cub of his own. But Shulk was as close as he would ever get, and he was completely happy with that._  
_'He's my only reason to continue living.'_  
_It was there that Diego realized that he had no idea where he was. He let his day dreaming get the best of him._  
_'Damn it. Dad's really gonna let me have it when he finds me.'_  
_With nothing else to do, he tells Shulk to lie down as he wrapped himself around him to keep him out of the rain and warm. If there were trees around them, he'd definitely be under one, but they were in the middle of a grassland and there were no trees in sight._  
_"Thanks." Shulk said._  
_"No, thank you." Diego responded._  
_'My only reason.'_

* * *

Opening his eyelids that sealed the gateway from fantasy to reality, Diego awoke from his visionary flashback, only to find himself still in the cave that he was brought to. He slowly lifted his head and started adjusting his eyes to the sudden contrast of the cave, blinking a few times to help the process, and lets his eyes wonder.  
'What am I gonna do with my life?'  
He suddenly remembers why he was in this cave in the first place. He turns his head to rest his eyes on her.  
'Still sleeping.' He thinks. He notices that she isn't crying anymore like she was before he fell asleep. It was also then that he noticed that it was still absolute darkness outside with the moon in full view, gleaming down and seeping into the cave. Very rarely would Diego see the ruler of the night shine down over the world like it was doing that night. Something about this night made it even better than usual. He tilts his head to see her in all of her beauty. Never before has Diego rested his eyes on something that was so difficult to look away from. It was as if every element of time and space had instantly froze during those few seconds that he was looking at her.  
'There is no way I can just leave her here. Not after what she's been through. Not after what I've been through.'  
Diego couldn't help but let his mind wonder.  
'All of these feelings that I get for this saber. Could they possibly have any meaning to them?' Diego thought. He's thought about starting his own life. It's entered his mind every now and then, but right now seems too early to jump to any conclusions.  
'I'd like to see her eyes again.' He thought and couldn't help but allow a smile to appear on his face.  
'Wait, what am I thinking?! I've never thought that way before. I feel so...' He stopped, having a hard time finding a word for it. All of his life, he's lived by rules, and strict ones at that. He's never had time to relax and think about the good things in life. He never knew what feelings were, and what it was like to care about someone or something. Even Shulk didn't get him to realize that completely to his surprise.  
'I feel so... Soft.' He finished, and couldn't argue with that word. It was all too true. He didn't understand why, but he liked feeling this way. His worries just washed away the moment he laid eyes on her.  
'But so what? It's not like this changes anything. Nothing can help me. Even if I were to tell her everything, I doubt she'll understand.' This again brought back his memories of his messed up life he's had. It'll remain in him, and nothing could possibly help him.  
'What I still don't understand is why she did what she did. Why'd she help me? Why'd she bring me to god knows where and even do as much as clean me up? How far did she take me? Why was she so willing?' Too many questions. It overwhelmed him with paranoia.  
'Maybe I'm just caring too much.' He sighs.  
Diego starts to notice that the stripped tigress was twitching. She was having nightmares.  
'Hmm, nightmares are everywhere these days, it seems.' He thinks to himself.  
'For what she did for me, it wouldn't help to return the favor. Oh wait, she's the one that returned the favor for me.' He thinks as he gets up and walks up to the still sleeping saber.  
'This is gonna be the stupidest thing I've ever done.' He thinks and suddenly remembers saying those exact words earlier that day, or for however long he's been passed out for. He had no idea.  
He gently laid up beside her from behind, moving in closer until his pelt was felt with hers. Diego couldn't help but like the feeling. His fur delicately brushing up beside hers as she did to his. All of Diego's thoughts were screaming at him to stop and that this wasn't right. For once, Diego's heart overruled his brain, so he remained where he was.  
'Wow, this feels pretty comfortable. Still, it seems so wrong to do this. What if she wakes-'  
Diego opens his eyes to see another pair staring back at him.  
'Damn it.'  
Those few seconds of complete sanctuary were now utterly destroyed and crushed to oblivion. Gone forever.  
Before Diego would let the awkward moment get any more awkward, quick as lightning, he sprang up from his position.  
At that moment, he couldn't think straight. How was he suppose to handle this? What could he say? How could he explain this? What excuses did he have?  
She didn't look much different, because right as Diego got up, she did as well. Both sabers were literally on opposite ends of the cave.  
"What the hell are you doing?!" She says the first words.  
It was only the second time Diego has heard her voice, but it was much more clear this time, even though it seemed as though she spoke out of anger. Still, it really made him adore her that much more.  
Diego stood there for a while, letting a fake smirk come across his face as he shook his head, trying to think of an excuse, or even a reason in the first place.  
"B-Because I..." He started, still unsuccessful in finding an answer.  
"Because... You were shivering... And... After all the trouble you went through for me, I mean, I just thought that-"  
"I'm sorry." She said so suddenly. She sat back down, resting her chin on her paws.  
"For what?"  
She let her eyes wonder around the cave, which Diego couldn't help but gleam in awe from.  
'Her eyes or just so-' Again, he couldn't find a word for it.  
"I just woke up so suddenly, and I wasn't expecting something like that." She said, starting to calm down.  
"Ya, I mean... Sure,uh... Ok then." Diego stumbles.  
"I'm sorry," she said again' "I didn't mean to yell at you like that. It's just that-"  
"You've been through a lot." Diego finishes what he was thinking for a while now.  
She looked up at him once again and Diego couldn't help but admire her for all she was worth once more.  
"Haven't you?"  
"... I guess you could say that." She nods. Diego couldn't help but feel so uncomfortable because of how awkward this whole situation was going.  
"What about you, huh? She asks him.  
"What?"  
"You don't seem so 'easy living' yourself." She says as she begins grooming herself.  
"There's uh, not much to say, really." He smirks as he lays down and tries to relax.  
"I've been abused since I was a cub by my father, always got bullied by my brothers, and I really haven't found a way around that mess. Other than that, nothing too interesting to talk about has happened. I've been wasting my whole damn life." He says, noticing that he was going back into a depressing state of mind.  
"You never bothered turning it around?" She asked as if it were so simple to accomplish.  
"You say that as if you've lived life to the fullest. I can't just change it instantly. You don't know what it's like to be me, and you never want to see. Trust me."  
The silver tigress rolled her eyes and looked at the cave's roof.  
Diego was getting tired of this secretive conversation. It was as if she was hiding something. Something that made him that much more eager to find out about.  
"So..." He began, regaining her attention as she looks back down at him which almost made Diego lose focus on what he was about to say.  
"Are you gonna tell me your name, or what?" he asked, and thought that he might have said that a little too harshly. He was just that paranoid.  
"Shira."  
'At last. I get her name. Shira... That's different than most names. I've never heard of it. Still... It's a pretty name. Something about it though...'  
"Well?" Her voice brought him back into reality as he realized that he was spacing out for half a minute. He looks at her and gets only an amused or otherwise curious look on her face.  
"What?" He asks in a zoned-out tone, making her laugh.  
'Even her laugh. It's music to my ears.' He thinks and can't help but smile.  
"I'm just asking for your name. I gave you mine."  
"Oh, I'm Diego."  
"Diego?"  
"Ya, what about it?"  
"Nothing, it's just that I've never heard of that name before. Which is surprising because the majority of my pack members were males."  
'Well, that's interesting. How do they expect to last long? Fifty-fifty is the smart way to go.' Diego thinks to himself.  
"I uh, don't mean to make this sound offensive or anything," Diego starts and was thinking about not asking her at all. It was a question that he was sure she didn't feel comfortable asking.  
"But, did you get hit on a lot? I mean, you said the majority of your pack were males."  
At first, it seemed as though Shira was about to say something, but that all changed when she started to burst out crying, and burying her head in her arms.  
'Now you've done it."'Diego told himself. He was half expecting for his voice to show up because he was so use to it, but he forgot that it hasn't spoken up since he woke up in this cave.  
Diego, seeing no point in not helping her, gets up and walks over to Shira who still had her head in her arms, crying miserably.  
Gently, Diego lowers himself and sits right up with her. He begins stroking her arm up and down.  
'She needs all the support she can get.  
Still crying, Diego didn't really know what else he could do. Has her life been a lot worse than his? Is that even possible?  
"It'll be alright."  
Even though he was completely truthful with those words, he couldn't help but think that she desperately wanted to end her life.  
Shira lifted her head and looked into his eyes with tears embedded within her own. Her eyes had a look as if she's been scarred for life.  
She closes her eyes and buried her head in his chest.  
At first, Diego slightly inched away, causing Shira to lift her head to look up at him.  
'She needs all the support she can get.'  
Instantly realizing that, Diego wraps his arms around her to keep her warm.  
The only sound that was heard that night as they were falling asleep was purring. She was purring.

* * *

_"This is the cave?"_  
_"Ya, I'm just happy we managed to find it." Diego told Shulk that next day after the storm had left. During that night, it got a little rough. Nothing that Diego couldn't handle. Shulk was bone dry the next day, while Diego was like a living tsunami getting drenched in the rain. But it was worth it to him. Whatever it took to take care of Shulk and make sure that he was safe._  
_"It's really big. How long are we staying here?" Shulk asked, starting to push up against the cave wall to see how hard and stable it was. It was just another part of his curious personality._  
_"It's your cave. How ever long you want to stay." Diego told him. He knew that eventually he would have to go back to his dad. Why, he didn't know._  
_"Really?" He asked out of happiness. Diego nodded._  
_Shulk was so overjoyed with happiness that he ran up to Diego and leaned into him, showing him his thanks and appreciation._  
_That's just one more thing that Diego loved about Shulk. He was too early in his years to have sorrow in him. He wasn't old enough to realize how cruel and messed up life really was. It would pain Diego to see the day to come when Shulk would realize that._  
_'Childhood. It is possibly the most important time of our life.' Diego thought to himself. Shulk was basically there to redeem the childhood that he never had. His father really killed that part of his life._  
_'That bastard has no idea what he's done to me.'_  
_Diego felt rage build inside of him, so he left Shulk's embrace and left the cave. Shulk, still in a curious state of mind, decided to follow him._  
_Diego headed down the hillsides and got to the shores of the island._  
_Diego sat there at the edge of the shorelines, pondering his thoughts._  
_'I just don't know what to do anymore. No amount of happiness will ever work to fix my life. If only I could go to world that I could understand. If only.'_  
_What would happen in the future and what suffering he will have to endure later on, he had no idea._  
_"Hey Diego! What are you doing down here?" Shulk asked, trying to keep up with him._  
_Diego was to tired to answer. Why care anymore?_  
_"I guess we'll just have to wait and see."_

A/N:

**Please R&R.**


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer:

I do not own Ice Age or the characters Diego and Shira

Title:

Shira's Cryin'

A/N:

**School has started back up for me. I should get more time to write this and future stories. And thanks for the continuous favs, reviews, and follows through my somewhat long absence.**

Something about that night made it more special and well worth remembering than any other night of the golden sabers life. Part of the reason was that he couldn't get any sleep at all, and neither could she. Both sabers were both comforting each other in their what seems to be time of need.  
All of what has happened in the past twenty-four hours completely overwhelmed Diego. The same thoughts kept rushing back into him, reminding him that no matter how hard he tried, his memories of his past will never leave him. He's been scarred for life. He's been permanently destroyed. It's all over for him.  
'Whether I'm on the edge or falling off, it's all over for me.' Diego tried moving his mind to a different topic, but at this point there really is not any other option. He couldn't help but allow tears to gradually form in his eyes  
'The best I can do is see where life takes me.'  
More so, Diego let his emotions take over as he began to cry very softly. What was he suppose to do? What can he make out of any of this? What will she do? Does she have any place to go?  
He could barely think straight.  
'I can't believe what my life has been like and what it's added up to as a result. As I cub, I never would have imagined turning into this monster that I am today.'  
It was just one thing after another for Diego. His suffering would never end. He was sure of it.  
"For fuck's sake! Give me a chance! Let me live for one god damn day of my life! Give me a reason to live! It's all I ask you!"He screamed to no one in particular. It was just then that he realized that he may have woken her up. He turns his head towards her who was sleeping up against him. He was at first expecting for her to be awake, but she wasn't it.  
'Shit.' That wasn't why Diego's heart stopped. What happens was much worse than waking her up. To him at least.  
Diego's lips slid across Shira's face until her lips matched theirselves up with Diego's as if it were a jigsaw puzzle.  
'What am I doing?' Diego yelled to himself. Apparently, when Diego turned his head to see her, Shira's face was closer to Diego than he thought, resulting in a completely shocking and unexpected experience for Diego. He could only thank his lucky stars that she was sound asleep.  
'Stop doing what you're doing!' Diego instantly broke connection and swiped his head around, opposite facing of her and tried to take in what the hell just happened.  
'Why does shit like this keep happening?! I just can't do anything right!'  
Diego felt as if a completely new door swung open for him. As of his life took a turn. For better or for worse, he didn't know and he didn't want to know.  
It seems so sudden to him. All of the past events within those twenty four hours have been so quick. It was as if life was moving too fast for him, if it wasn't already. It was just one more thing that he had to bring worry upon.  
After forcing himself to snap out of his shocked state of mind, he tries to focus on one thing at a time.  
'There must be more to her past than she's told me.' Diego thinks to himself, looking out of the caves gaping entrance with the moonlight shining in a beam of light as it emerges itself onto the sabers and gleaming down on their pelts.  
Diego couldn't help but admire the perfect creation that was leaning up against him. He observed every feature of her. From the glittering sparkles on her pelt from the moonlight, looking like snowflakes of those that have just hit the ground during a calm and perfect snow day. Her sapphire eyes of which Diego wishes that he could see right at that moment just so he could drain his depression away and get lost in fantasy, if only for a few seconds.  
What got him out of all curiously though, were these strange emerald colored earrings on her right ear. Two perfectly carved emeralds caught the reflection of the moonlight, making her just that more amazing to the golden saber.  
'I don't know why I get these strange feelings running through my body. It's driving me mad and yet keeping me calm at the same time! What am I suppose to do?! What can I do?!'  
Sighing, Diego resumes his sleepless night, resting his head on his paws, facing away from Shira. Nothing could help him, and this saber that he just met by the looks of things, sure as hell isn't helping him either.  
'Maybe if I just took a night walk. I'm sure she won't wake up. But if she does...'Diego stops and looks back at her, making sure that the same awkward moment doesn't happen again.  
'I've made too many mistakes in the past. The last thing I needed was for her to wake up as it happened and get the wrong idea.'  
Diego lightly laughed, 'What am I thinking? No one in the world cared about my existence, so why would she care if I left.'  
Diego got up, doing his best to not wake her up, walked away towards the entrance, but not before he looked back at her and admired her once more.  
Seeing her asleep there, Diego couldn't imagine a better sight than what he was resting his eyes on.  
'She seems so perfect. Just maybe...' Diego instantly tied that thought up in a knot and threw it out.  
'Hell, what am I saying? She probably has a mate already!'  
Just thinking about the possibility made Diego more depressed by the second.  
'God, I'm not even acting like myself! Thinking of romance at a time like this? I don't even know the first thing about it! She probably thinks I'm a freak for laying up against her when she was sleeping. Now that I think about it, I really wouldn't blame her if she thought that anyways.'  
Not knowing what else to think, Diego leaves the cave. He didn't know if he was coming back or never returning.  
'Everything's a huge waste of time. I'm wasting my time and for all I know, I'm wasting her time as well.' He thought to himself as he subconsciously walks through the rainy forest towards the beach half asleep.  
'It's really none of my concern. I've got my own life to worry about after all. The last thing I need is another life with another messed up story to tell.'  
It's always strange how much it has rained lately. Just when the rain from the night before stopped to allow the flooded land to dry out, another swarm of droplets plummeted to the earth and recreated the same mild catastrophe.  
'The rain is so calming. I'm always thankful of how it hides my tears.' Diego thought, unable to tell whether he was lightly crying or not. Too much rain poured on him to determine.  
Diego, realizing that what he was doing was basically bringing his life back in a circle. It was just yesterday that he was wondering alone in the rain with no idea what to do with his life. His life is just one big rotating cog, never getting anywhere and not being put to use at all.  
'Screw saber pride. Screw my father. I don't care about anyone or anything anymore. It's not fair how everyone thinks that I never try. I just don't want to hear it anymore.'  
Time passed on as Diego walked along the flooded shores.  
Looking out into the ocean, Diego couldn't help but feel as if it reminded him of something. Something that he's seen very recently.  
'They almost look like...' He thought, trying to find the right word for it. It was something that made his heart warm.  
'Her eyes.'  
He shook his head, figuring that there wasn't any chance with her anyways. How could some one as beautiful as her not have a mate or is planning to for that matter.  
Not being able to stand the depressing scene before him, he faces away and heads towards the forest.  
A part of him was thinking it better off if he just started heading back.  
'Maybe we'll learn more about each other.'  
As he started heading back, Diego couldn't help but sense a familiarization with his surroundings. He's been wondering for quite some time now and didn't realize until now.  
'Something about this place...' He looked to his side to see a piece of land risen above him. Near the top was a cave. Normally if there was a cave, without a reason, Diego would just leave it, figuring that it was probably already taken. But this time was different. He couldn't help but feel scared because of how familiar the cave looked to him.  
'It almost looks like...that one cave.'  
He immediately darted up the cliff, slipping his way up the boulders and to the cave entrance. His heart was pounding more than it should be. He wasn't really the working out type of saber.  
His heart suddenly felt as if it had stopped all together as he looked into the cave.  
"No...i-it can't...why? Why?!" He let out.  
Diego took in a deep breath and observed the sight before him.  
Shulk's lifeless corpse was laying to the left of the cave up against the wall.  
Diego's mouth started shaking. His eyes filled up with tears unnaturally fast. He suddenly smelt the stench of the corpse. It was more horrendous than anything he's ever imagined before.  
The eyes were still open. The face had a look as if it were struggling to stay alive. The jaw was hung open, showing the decaying organs on the inside.  
All of it was just too much for Diego. At his time of dying, Shulk really opened up and showed who he truly was.  
'Thats how everyone is in this world. In a way, I knew more about each of my brothers in an hour compared to my abusive father who knew them for their whole life. Not that I'd give a damn about any of them. But Shulk, he...' Diego looks back, trying his best not to, but couldn't help it. He takes in a deep breath and looks at the ground below him.  
"I... Did the right thing... Didn't I? Didn't I, Shulk? You were happy... Right?" Diego asked as of talking directly at him. Then, the unthinkable happens.  
Shulk's corpse. His lifeless, decaying corpse lifted its head from the ground, and cracked his neck towards Diego to face him.  
Diego got a feeling as if a spider the size of his paw jumped on to his face. He stood there, paralyzed with absolute fear. He could do nothing but back up a little until he noticed the breeze from the caves entrance was gone. He looked behind him, only to see a solid cave wall in the way of the entrance. He was caved in. Trapped.  
"...D..i..ei..go..." It said in Shulk's normal voice.  
Diego turned back around to see the thing stood up and is much closer to him.  
Diego jumps back in shock as the corpse inched its way closer to him, causing Diego to collapse on the floor.  
The decaying body gets on top of Diego. And looks him straight in the eyes with his own eyes, if he had any.  
"Why'd you leave me, Diego? I thought you cared about me!" It said with a neglecting sense of smell.  
"No! No! I do care! I did! I did care about you! I just couldn't-"  
"You take me for an accomplice for those fiends?!"  
"No! Not you! You're different! I always cared about you! I just... I just... There was nothing I could do about it!"  
"That's your answer... For everything!" It said as it raised its claws and slashed into Diego's face.  
His heart started beating fast as he opened his eyes and looked around. Cave walls were surrounding him.  
Breathing heavily, he looks around, getting to remember what was going on as he laid his eyes on her once again. She was wide awake and laid down next to him with a worried look in her eyes.  
Resting his head back on the ground, he lets out a sigh of relief.  
'It was all a dream.' He relaxes his muscles, and looks to his side at her, still admiring her for all she was worth.  
"I was worried there for a while." She said, with a smile of happiness on her face, "I tried shaking you, yelling at you, but you wouldn't wake up. What ever was happening sounded more than just a nightmare."  
'Was that all it was? Just a big nightmare? Probably.'  
"You don't have to worry about me."he told her, just speaking the truth.  
"Fine. See what I care." She snaps backs, getting up and walks to a cave wall and lays down.  
Diego let out a growl of frustration.  
'As if it were priority one to get her attention, I sure to hell ain't doing a good job at it.'  
"I didn't mean it that way, I-"  
"I know you didn't." She interrupted back.  
"What's that suppose to mean?" He asks as if he were questioning her.  
"It's just.." She began, lowering her head to cover her face, "You don't know what I've been through."  
Diego doesn't say anything. He figures that its best to keep all of his thoughts inside of him rather than coming out of his mouth.  
'You have know idea what I've been through either. I really don't see any point to this. She can't open up to me and I can't open up to her. If I could just find out one thing at a time...'  
"You said that your father abused you, right?" She cut off his train of thought so suddenly, and Diego wasn't expecting it.  
"What- oh, ya. He uh... He basically destroyed me mentally. It's no surprise, really. It's probably the reason  
why I'm so..." He stopped for a second.  
"Why you're so what?" She asked as if she was completely interested.  
'Why would she be? I have no personality what so ever.'  
"Why I'm so... Shy... Awkward...just, closed-minded ." He said, quickly hiding his face.  
'God, what the hell am I doing?' He thought feeling completely embarrassed.  
He heard her giggle and thought that she was making fun of his misfortune.  
'Typical.'  
"I can relate." He heard her say as he lifts his head up to see her smiling at him.  
'Bullshit.' He thought so negatively. It's what he's been like since the beginning.  
"You? I don't believe it." He says humorously, trying to lead her into telling him something about her past.  
"Don't believe me?" She asks.  
"Not completely, no." He says still talking humorously.  
She laughs again and gets a look that's as if she was thinking of where to start.  
"My family wasn't all that great either. My dad left when I was still a cub, therefore I really didn't have any memories of him. Maybe if he stayed..." She stops and looks as of she was in deep thought.  
"Shira?"  
Shira looks back at him, smiling as she does it. The only thing that Diego was focused on were her eyes.  
'They're so contrast. So beautiful.' He thinks as he brings a smile to his face as well.  
"And my mother, she..." She continued, slowly bringing her smile down.  
"My mother was just a big loser. She hated me. She never wanted me. She never abused me, god forbid. But, she still destroyed me on the inside." She said, resting her head back down.  
Diego didn't bother saying anything. He just wanted to admire her for all she was worth.  
It was only then that Diego felt a cold wind enter the cave. Winter was just around he corner, and the icy temperatures were already kicking in.  
Diego began to notice that Shira was shivering. Not just a little, but a lot. She tried changing numerous positions to stay warm, but to no luck.  
Without a single strand of hesitation, Diego got up and walked over to Shira.  
Shira was unaware of his presence as she was facing her back away from the cave wall.  
Diego slowly lowered himself up against Shira and couldn't help but love the feeling of her pelt against his own once again.  
Shira, now just feeling his warmth so suddenly, jumped a little and turned her head to face his.  
"What are you doing?" She asked playfully.  
"You'd rather be frozen tomorrow morning? I don't mind." He said back, going along with her playful talk.  
"Oh, well thanks, but you don't have to. I'm just fine."  
"Really, you seemed pretty cold. After what you did for me, you know , taking me here and cleaning me up."  
Shira began to panic, "What?! No! If you think I did it because of, well, you know. I only did because I was worried, and-"  
"Hey, hey. It's alright. I just wanted to thank you." He told her, trying to calm her down.  
"Oh, right." She said as she took a deep breath, "Ya, we are friends after all." She said smiling as she rested her head in his chest and drifted off into sleep.  
"Ya." Diego replied as he does the same and rests his head on her back.  
Just friends.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer:

I do not own Ice Age or the characters Diego and Shira

Title:

Shira's Cryin'

A/N:

**I'm starting to get the general idea for where this story is heading. If you didn't know before, I never plan out my stories. I just let my mind take me where it wants to go. So, here's chapter 6 =D**

"Shira! No! Not that way!" Diego screamed out ahead of him.  
They were closing in on her. All of them. The whole pack.  
'Those savage bastards! What do they want with her?! Trying to kill your own kind?! It doesn't make sense!'  
Diego tried his best to keep up with the rest of them, but he couldn't. He never did much with his life.  
"I can't let them do this. I can't. Not to her."  
Every sprint that the golden saber took was making him more and more fatigued. The ivy colored plants on the forest ground would brush up against him as he sped through them.  
Determination. Revenge. Protection. That's all he could think about.  
"I'll do anything for her. As long as you're safe, Shira. As long as I live, nothing bad will happen to you."  
Diego could suddenly spot one of the attacking sabers. A much smaller in size compared to him, giving him the upper hand.  
With all of the energy he had left built up inside of him, he caught up right to the side of the saber.  
He then proceeds by slamming up against him, and luckily came in direct contact with one of the forest's strong 'built to last' trees, knocking him unconscious.  
With him out of the way, Diego takes off towards where he could only assume that Shira was heading towards: a dead end.  
The forest's end rose high above the ocean's waves, forming a tall cliff side area at the end.  
As Diego was heading up there, he could hear her voice screaming. He knew right away that she was in trouble.  
'No. Not now.'  
He finally got out of the forest, and his heart instantly stopped.  
He rested his eyes on her, who was leaning up against another male saber. Shira then began to rub her nose with his and licking his neck tenderly.  
Diego's heart felt as though it had literally broke. He didn't say anything. He didn't think anything, because he didn't know what to think.  
The only one he ever loved was gone. Metaphorically gone, and literally gone.  
Shira smiled at her 'mate' that was up against her. She then turned her head to look at Diego, who had a feverish face embedded into him. He looked horrible.  
She lightly laughed and turned back to her mate.  
"Who's this freak of nature?" She teasingly asked.  
It traumatized Diego.  
"He's no one." Her mate answered.  
Diego could feel himself fading away, watching as his surroundings became darker and darker.  
"He was born that way."  
Diego suddenly finds himself alone in the mist of the night. He just sat there, looking at the ground below him. There was only one thought going through his mind. It was clear what had to be done.  
He then started hearing a fairly dim voice.  
"Do it."  
He saw it all so clearly. What's the point anymore?  
"Do it!" It said much louder .  
Finally, the sky began to rain blood. Diego looked up into the the sky that was seemingly turning red. He smiled.  
"She has abandoned me"  
Blood. Everywhere. She left him.  
Gasping for breath as he awoke from his traumatizing nightmare, Diego scanned the cave walls around him.  
Realizing that it was again, a nightmare, he slowly rested his head back on her who was still sleeping.  
Diego glanced his eyes towards her gently shut eyes. He began to feel tears form in his eyes.  
He couldn't take it. That nightmare. What if it were to become reality? What if she was already taken?  
And even worse, what if her mate was out looking for her right now?  
None of these thoughts mattered to Diego at the moment as he began to pull Shira closer into himself.  
He needed someone. Someone who could be there for him. Someone he could talk to at anytime when he's feeling down just to make his life brighter. He desperately needed someone.  
'I desperately need her.' He thought to himself and found it hard to believe, too.  
Before he met Shira, Diego never would imagine wanting someone so badly like he does for her. He's seen the way that other female sabers would act. All they cared about was when mating season was coming around. It sickened him. It overwhelmed him.  
'It got old.'  
As he continued to pull Shira into his warmth, occasionally stroking her shoulders, he couldn't help but think that life was perfect at that moment. He didn't know why. It's been years since he felt this way. It was just one more reason for why he needed her.  
'Ive got ten thousand reasons to be with her, but it seems like I need one more.'  
He continued to stroke her shoulders for a while until he could hear her. She was purring in her sleep. Diego wasn't sure if she was purring because of her dreams, or if it was because of his comfort for her. Either way, it brought an even brighter smile to his face. He gently rested his head on the side of her body, letting his tears flow uncontrollably as he began to kill off his smile.  
He just couldn't hide his feelings for her anymore. He couldn't stand how secretive she was being. He has to find out if she has a mate or not.  
'But if she does.' He thought to himself.  
'If she does, it'll kill me. She's the only one that I've ever loved.'  
He began to hear her yawning, so he got his head off of her, and rested on the ground.  
As she was waking up, observing her surroundings, she rested her eyes on Diego who was pretending to sleep, thinking that he might catch her saying something.  
Shira looked at her side and saw that Diego had completely wrapped himself around her.  
Shira let out a small giggle, "He's so cute."  
Diego couldn't help but smile at her words.  
'She thinks I'm...cute? I could say the same to her.'  
Diego felt the need to purr, but forced himself to hold that in.  
"You've made my life so much happier, Diego." She continued saying. Diego's heart felt like it had skipped beats as he heard this.  
'What is she getting at, exactly?'  
"And, I knew from the start, when I first saw you, that you were the one. I could feel it."  
Diego couldn't believe what he was hearing.  
"I love you, Diego. I really do. I want you to know that so badly, but I-" she began to form tears in her eyes.  
'But what?'  
"I can't. I've already..."  
Diego couldn't stand her sadness anymore. He brings out a fake and rather unrealistic yawn as he lifted his head off of the ground.  
Shira, now just realizing that he had woken up, had a look in her face that looked as if she was wondering if he had heard any of that.  
'Yes, I did.' Diego thought. He looked up at her eyes, and smiled.  
"Hey. You sleep okay?" He asked in a most concerned tone of voice.  
Shira shyly looked away, still smiling, "Y-ya, I did. Thanks."  
Diego, again, let his mind think of nothing expect for how perfect she was. What was he suppose to do? Just blurt it out?  
'She already admitted that she loved me. I have to say it to her!' But his awkward personality got the best of him.  
"Diego." She began.  
"Ya?"  
"I don't think I thanked you for what you did back those couple of days ago. I just think that was something that most sabers couldn't stand up to do. Yet, you did it. And, what I've got to know is... why? Why did you do it?"  
'Fuck.' He began to think of excuses over in his head.  
'What am I thinking?! Just tell her!'  
"Shira, I- I'd do anything for you. I mean, all of these years, I've never been so happy before I met you. You just- you just change my... life forever, and... Shira."  
"Yes, Diego?" She asked, getting ever so closer to him as she placed her paw over his.  
Diego looked down at their paws, and watched as Shira began moving her paw up his shoulder.  
'Just do it!'  
"Shira, I-"  
"WHAT THE HELL, SHIRA?!"  
Diego looked up by the cave entrance, and saw a very dark brown pelted saber tooth tiger.  
"Soto! No! I just- I mean... Diego, I'm sorry! I just-"  
She stumbled words out of her mouth. How could she possibly respond to this?  
"I knew from the very start how much of a whore you were, Shira! What the fuck were you thinking?!" Soto yelled right in her face.  
Shira could smell his breath as he continued to yell at her. Tears started forming in her eyes.  
"I'm- I'm sorry, I just..." She started, quietly.  
Diego could do nothing but hold onto Shira, promising her that he was there for her.  
Soto, seeing what Diego was doing, brought a twisted smile to his face.  
"You think you can have everything you want? You think you can just take things away from me?"  
Diego wanted to fight him so badly, but he couldn't. First of all, this saber looked like he could just punch his way through a solid cave wall. The last thing he needed was for the cave wall to be his face. Secondly, Diego is already trying to get over the fact about that night when it all began. When he actually committed murder. If he were to somehow beat this son of bitch, it still wouldn't look good on him. Shira's seen enough of his dark side already. He doesn't want to unleash it completely. It would probably scare her half to death.  
"Well, if your not gonna answer me, I guess I'll just take back whats mine." Soto said, as he reached towards Shira, and began yanking at her back side with his teeth, Diego could see her flesh being torn out.  
"God, this saber is a bigger physco than me."  
Shira began screaming and kicking at Soto.  
'Why does she live like this?'  
Diego got up, and pulled Shira away from Soto, already accepting his fate.  
"Listen, you shit face! She's not a god damn trophy that you can just walk around with all day!"Diego scolded at him.  
Soto had a look on his face that looked as if it were saying, "Are you for real?"  
"I had to deal with enough of this bullshit already! You know how I found her? Another saber was mating with her. She was being forced to! That was more than enough for her! She doesn't need another full-of-himself saber to start the whole thing over again l!"  
Diego was positive that he had made his point.  
"I see your point." Soto said.  
Diego nodded in confirm.  
"And here's mine, pretty boy: I'm her mate."  
Dreams. Expectations. Fantasies. They were crushed. All of them. Gone.  
Diego looked back at Shira, who could do nothing but lower her head and cry miserably.  
Diego turned back to Soto, "You think she's happy this way? You think she's happy with you?"  
"She doesn't have any other choice."  
"Sure she does."  
"Ya, like what?"  
"Me."  
Shira looked up at Diego who was glancing back at her.  
"She's the most beautiful and most caring saber that I've ever met in my entire life. She means everything to me."  
Diego looked back at Soto, who was not getting amused by any of this.  
"I love her. I love her so much, it hurts."  
Diego once again looked back at Shira, who was smiling with tears in her eyes.  
"Aww, how sweet." Soto mockingly taunted Diego, "How pathetic. You think this will just work out for you? She was mine first!"  
"Quit acting like a cub." Diego spat out.  
"Alright, that's it!" Soto immediately tackled Diego, causing them to roll around the cave, while Shira could do nothing but watch in horror.  
Soto started kneeing Diego in his privates, which was more than enough to get Diego on the ground defenseless. Soto then proceeds by clawing into Diego's right side of his face, and repeatedly slammed his head into the ground.  
As every slam into the ground went by, Diego was feeling more and more faint. All he could here was her voice.  
"Stop it! Stop it! Stop it!" And just like that, he passed out again.

As he regained consciousness, Diego looked around the cave, while rubbing the side of his head, realizing that it hurt like hell. He looked below him to see a pool of blood rested where his head was.  
"Wha- what happend?" He asked himself. At the moment, he had completely forgot what he hell just happened, but as memories of her voice came back, he remembered it completely.  
Getting up, Diego observes his surroundings with panic risen inside of him.  
'Where'd they go?!' He wondered.  
Turning his gaze towards the entrance of the cave, he could see a trail in the snow. It looked as if Shira was still fighting to get out of Soto's grip.  
"Oh, shit!" He said to himself as he darted out of the cave, following the trail in front of him.  
What worried him the most was the how long he's been out for. He could've been passed out for hours, days, weeks even. Who knows.  
'It's not gonna stop me from getting to her. I'll go through anything just to see her.'  
He continued darting through the white blanket covered forest with fear and anger building up inside of him.  
'I promise, Shira. I'll never let anything bad happen to you. No ungrateful full of himself saber will do anything harmful to you. That I'm sure of.'  
Yet, no matter how determined he was, the main problem was killing his motivation: she has a mate.  
'What the hell am I suppose to do about that?'  
Finally, he reaches he edge of the forest, and couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A/N:

**Chapter 7 will be up ASAP. Please R&R =D  
**


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer:

I do not own Ice Age or the characters Diego and Shira

Title:

Shira's Cryin'

A/N:

**I didn't get much time to write this because of various events and concerts I've been going to, but at least I know where this story is heading to now.**

_"What's a pack, Diego?" Shulk asked the day before he died from disease. Diego had been staying with him in their newfound cave, and felt a lot more comfortable there._  
_Diego was up by the cave entrance, laying down and observing the outside world._  
_'What am I suppose to do in this world? What's the point in this world when I can't even tell if I'm alive and dreaming, or dead and imagining?' Diego thought to himself, questioning the existence of the world and himself._  
_"Diego?" Shulk asked again._  
_"Huh, what?" Diego swiped his head around, just now returning into the world of reality._  
_"What's a pack? I've heard lots of sabers mention it before."_  
_"Oh, umm." Diego started. The truth was, Diego honestly had no idea what a pack was like. In fact, he hardly remembers what it was called to begin with._  
_"I think it has to do with every saber killing each other." He answers, making a guess. Somehow, he could feel as if his guess was correct._  
_"You mean like cannibalism?" He asked._  
_Diego was a bit surprised by his word choice._  
_'Where did he hear that word?' He could only imagine._  
_"Where did you hear that word?"_  
_"I don't know, it just came to me all of a sudden. I don't remember."_  
_Diego looks down at the trees below the cave entrance that positioned itself up on a cliff side._  
_"Well, I guess you could say that." He answered back._  
_"But why do they do that?"_  
_"I'm not sure, Shulk."_  
_To Diego, this particular day seemed full of hope for him. He wasn't sure why. Normally, when he doesn't feel like talking to anyone, he goes completely berserk._  
_'Just me and my own problems, again.'_  
_But today was different. He felt so calm at that moment, that he didn't mind Shulk when he came up to him and leaned his shoulder against his._  
_"I hope things stay like this forever." Shulk glamorously said as he looked up into Diego's eyes._  
_'I'll drop dead if that ever happened.' Diego though to himself in his usual and typical personality._  
_"Ya, me too."_

* * *

All of this came back to Diego as he stopped near the end of the forest where the cliff side was seen spread out across the entire side of the island. Diego couldn't see where the bottom was. A thick, dense fog claimed over the land, preventing Diego from seeing ten feet in front of him.  
"I've got to find her! I've got to! She needs me!" Tears again, started to stroll down his face. How much more of this did he have to deal with?  
"I need her. I've just-" he was again at a complete loss.  
"Am I too much, or just not enough?" He continually says to himself.  
Still following the path closer and closer to what he feels to be the edge of the forest. The fog was just too dense for him to see anything out of.  
"Wake me up. I'm living a nightmare."  
It was then that he felt his left paw suddenly slide down. He quickly pulls back, realizing that he had hit the edge.  
The funny thing though, was that the trail that he was following kept going. Right off the cliff.  
"You've got to be kidding me." Instantly, Diego jumps to the conclusion that she was gone.  
"What the hell did he do with her?"  
None of this made sense to Diego. He was about to just give up right then and there. He was about to accept his fate and spend the remainder of his days alone. No saber was as perfect to him as she was.  
"She's for me, and I'm for her. What more needs to be said? What more has to be explained?!" Diego screamed with rage building back inside.  
"I'll kill that son of a bitch for doing this! I don't give a damn if she was his first! That's not the point what so ever! He will pay for this. He will."  
**'Violence will get you nowhere.'**  
Diego jumped at the sudden voice in his head.  
"Back so soon?" Diego smirked at his complete insanity.  
**'What exactly do you plan on doing from here?'**  
"Get her back. That's priority number one." Diego tells himself as he looks over the cliff's edge, trying to see how in the world the trail just stopped like that.  
**'You have no idea where she is.'**  
Sighing in defeat and complete loss, Diego turns around and staggers over to the closest tree to rest under.  
"I just have to stop. I have to stop and think for a minute."  
**'Great! So what's your plan?'**  
"Jump it."  
**'Good one. And I'll just instantly kill away all of your problems. Life doesn't work that way! You of all creatures should know that!'**  
At that moment, Diego could somehow feel as though his little voice isn't just his imagination. It was something else.  
"It's something else." Diego said to himself.  
**'What?'**  
"Not that it's my business or anything, but who are you?" Diego forced himself to ask. For a couple of seconds, his voice didn't respond.  
**'Who am I? I existed somewhere in this world. You knew me.'**  
"I knew you?" Diego asked, lifting his head off the the cold snow below him.  
No answer.  
"Hey!" Diego spoke up.  
"Hey!" He tried again a little louder.  
Still nothing.  
"Well great! I was actually enjoying some company for once. Even if it was my own mind. Still..." He stops to think about what his voice said.  
"Who or what is it? I knew him..." He starts to really think.  
"Someone... That I knew..."  
That's when it hit him.  
"Shulk." He openly realized.  
It had to be him.  
"It's got to be him. But how?"  
It was there that Diego knew that defeat was not an option.  
"I'll get her back. I promised her that. It's what Shulk would want. It's what Shira would want." Diego said, casting his eyes beyond the cliff's edge.  
"She's out there somewhere. I'll find her. I know it. So what am I waiting for?" Diego hesitated whether of not he should do it. Should he jump it?  
"It has to have happened that way. How could a trail just stop like that so suddenly?!" Diego argued with himself. What was he suppose to do?  
"There's nothing I can do about it." He sighs in defeat.  
'That's your answer for everything.' That dream, or more like a nightmare, came back to him.  
Taking a deep breath, Diego gets up, filled with absolute determination inside of him, he sprints at the cliff's edge and uses all the power in his hind legs to gain the maximum amount of momentum to get out into the sky before him.  
It was there as he was soaring through the air for those brief moments, he saw something. A cliff edge. On the other side. He wouldn't make it. Not even close.  
Diego began panicking as he felt himself descend away from the world. Every space, time and element seems as though it had slowed down at that exact moment as Diego looked at the top of the cliff in front of him.  
A trail in the snow.  
'Well...shit.' Diego thought that the whole thing was the edge of he ocean, so even if he did fall, he would've landed in the water and lived. That's what made him do this all in the first place.  
He lowered his head to see a vast set of sharp rocks position themselves below him.  
Closer and closer he would get to them as he lost velocity from falling down the seemingly never ending trench.  
He could do nothing but watch the rocks get closer and closer to him, until he closed his eyes and hoped for the best.  
"I can't live without you, Shira."  
Tears. Eyes shut. Done.

* * *

_"Diego, please stay with me."_  
_"I will, Shulk. I promise."_  
_That was the night. The night that destroyed his life forever. It was the day he died. His only friend. His only reason._  
_As Diego was up against Shulk to comfort him, there was only one thing going on in his mind that kept repeating itself._  
_'It'll be alright.'_  
_He kept saying this to him over and over again. Yet, no matter how much he said that, it won't help anyone in the end._  
_'He's going to die. I'm sorry Shulk. I'm so sorry. If there was some way I could prevent this from becoming true, then I'd...'_  
_"Diego."_  
_"Ya?" I asked as I gently stroked his shoulder up and down._  
_"I'm scared."_  
_"It's okay to be scared, Shulk."_  
_"I don't- I- I don't." Tears started forming in his face. Diego started to get the same thing as well._  
_"I don't want to die." He said as if he were begging for Diego to do something about it._  
_'There's nothing I can do.'_  
_"We all die, Shulk. We live and we die."_  
_"But I've lived such a great life so far. Why! Why does it have to- why does it have to end?!" He said, as he started bawling miserably._  
_Diego pulled Shulk into his warmth._  
_"I'll be there, Shulk. I'll always be there for you. I'll always be by your side." Diego assured him. He started for feel that Shulk's heartbeat was getting faster and faster as well as his breathing, and no sooner was he gagging up thick, red blood from his mouth._  
_Diego could do nothing but watch in horror._  
_"Why is life so bad?" His last words came out, and he collapsed his head to the ground. A puppet that had all of it's strings cut off. He was dead. Gone forever._

* * *

The taste of snow mixed in with dirt was the first thing he noticed as he began to slip back into consciousness. He had no idea what just happened. He could hardly remember anything. If anything, there was only one thing he could remember.  
"Shira..." He repeatedly mumbled in his half asleep state of mind.  
His taste now recognized blood. It began to take over the taste of snow and dirt as he moved his tongue around his two sharp daggers. He could also feel the blood stick in between his lips as he opened and closed them, lapping them together. Flesh was felt torn around his lips, which explained the taste of blood.  
He felt awful all around him as he began to open his eyes. His head hurt like hell, and his throat felt like it was going to jump out of him at any second. He could do nothing but moan in pain.  
His limbs were twitching uncontrollably, especially his left hind leg.  
Lifting his head up and off the ground was as painful as every other injury that was agonizing him with excruciating pain.  
He suddenly felt the urge to pass out again, and had to keep his head down.  
"God, my leg! It hurts so much!"  
Forcing himself to withstand the pain, he lifts his head up once more and looked down at his left hind leg.  
At first he didn't see anything wrong, but once he rolled himself over, he knew right away why it was throbbing with pain so much.  
As he made contact with the rocky ground below him, a perfectly sharp shaped rock embedded itself within his skin.  
Looking over it, he could see that his leg was becoming infected with whatever the injected object had on it. This also told him that he must had been out for a couple of hours.  
"Oh, shit." He knew what was to become of this and had already excepted his fate.  
"I'm gonna die out here." He said as he rested his hurt filled head, lying there motionlessly in pain.  
'Is this all a dream? Did I fall asleep? For the love of god! Wake me up!'  
"Somebody help me!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. But what were the chances of someone coming across the mess that he got himself into.  
'I'll just keep sinking. Lower and lower until I'm dead. I should have known right from the start that this would happen.'  
"SHIRA!" He yelled beyond what his lungs capacity could hold. From the tallest mountains, to the lowest pits of hell that he was in, he wanted her to hear him. He wanted her to know.  
"She does know. She does know that I love her. But, how the hell do I even get out of here! I'm stuck in hell with the most severe condition I've ever been in!"  
Giving up, he laid there, waiting for devil himself to take his life from him.  
'There's no way out.'  
Motionless on the ground, but he wasn't going to give up. He could feel it. How could he?  
"I'll kill that son of a bitch."

A/N:

**So there it is. And really, thanks for all the reviews on the last chapter. I got quite a few of them, considering my lazy habit of updating :P**

**Please R&R Thanks**


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